EDITORIAL - The toll of complacency

The COVID transmission rate is again going up in Metro Manila while cases are rising in some areas outside the capital, prompting local officials, with the approval of the national government, to revert their communities to more restrictive quarantine status. Health authorities are bracing for a possible surge in COVID cases in January amid the crowding and get-togethers during the Christmas season.

These must be kept in mind as point-to-point provincial buses are allowed to resume operations in the National Capital Region. Mass transportation restrictions have been eased in the NCR and neighboring areas under the same general community quarantine or GCS status.

Metro Manila remains the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in the country. People who were transported out of the NCR to the provinces are believed to have spread the coronavirus all over the country in the early months of the pandemic. Into the ninth month of COVID restrictions, infections are rising in some areas outside Metro Manila, and there is always the possibility that travelers from these areas can also spread the virus.

Health safety protocols have been issued for various forms of mass transportation. These are already being enforced in buses in Metro Manila and other areas. With the resumption of point-to-point provincial bus operations, every effort must be made to comply with the protocols, especially during the holidays when shoppers from all over flock to the bargain centers of Metro Manila.

Distancing requirements must be strictly enforced, together with wearing of face mask and shield. Random inspections must be conducted regularly and violators imposed appropriate penalties, to ensure compliance. The buses must be regularly cleaned and disinfected. Compliance with health protocols will ensure the safety of both passengers and bus employees. COVID vaccines are still several months away from reaching the country. In the meantime, the nation must strike a balance between saving lives and livelihoods. Complacency can exact a heavy toll.